Read Online Tortured: Book Three of the Jason and Azazel Trilogy by V. J. Chambers - Free Book Online Page B

his hair. "I'm, um, I'm okay," he said.
"Mina and I talked. It was good."

I nodded. "That is good."

" Yeah."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at his shoes. Looking at him, I
couldn’t help but remember the fact he used to stand like that when he was a
little kid and had done something wrong. My little brother. Now he was taller than me, with a goatee and broad shoulders. And he was going
to be a father. Weird.

"Zaza," he said. "What am I going to do?" He looked up at
me, his eyes full of fear.

"Oh God Chance," I said. I opened my arms to him, and he fell into
them. I hugged him and patted his back. It reminded me of our parents' funeral.
I had comforted Chance while he cried. I'd been dry-eyed.

He pulled back. "She doesn't want to tell anyone," he said.

"I know," I said. "She's got some silly idea that she's going to
be able to hide the fact she's pregnant."

"I don't know who we'd tell anyway. Mina's parents would go through the
roof, and Grandma Hoyt would be less than pleased."

I pictured our stern, proper grandmother and grimaced. Chance was right.  

"But she's got to see a doctor or something right?" he asked me.
"I mean, she can't just let it go."

I shook my head. "No, she needs a doctor. I think." Now that it came
down to it, I knew very little about pregnancy. Considering I was the only
biological child my mother ever had, I'd never even seen her pregnant. I had no
idea what to tell Chance.

"She's just so scared," he said. "But I am too. I'm freaked out.
And she's had a few days to adjust to the idea. I've only had a few hours. I
want to comfort her, but I don't know what to say or what to do."

"I'm sorry I just blurted it out like that today at lunch," I said.

"No, I'm glad I know. She wasn't going to tell me, and I'm glad I
know."

"Well, she's going to have to tell someone sometime, Chance."

" Yeah." He looked so overwhelmed.

"Hey," I said, reaching out to touch him, "you're doing the best
you can. She needs you. If you're just there for her, it'll be enough."

"I don't know," he said. "I don't know if it will or not."

In the distance, the clock tower on campus began to toll the hour.

"Damn it," said Chance. "I've got to go. I'm going to miss
curfew."

"Me too," I said. "Take care of yourself, Chance."

"You too," he said. He started off, then stopped. "And watch the drinking, huh, Zaza? I don't need to worry about
you and Mina too."

"Sure," I said.  

But when I got up to my room, I downed half a bottle of vodka. No way was I
dealing with one of those dreams tonight. No way.
    * * *
    I awoke to Jason bending over my bed, shaking me.
"Azazel," he was whispering urgently. "Wake up."

Making a face, I sat up in bed. "What are you doing here?" My head
was pounding, but I was used to that.

"Shh!" he said.  

I rubbed my face with my hand. "What are you doing here?" I
whispered.

"Come with me," he said. "I'll explain once we're out of the
dorm."

We snuck out the fire escape again. Outside the dorm, there was a cool, night
breeze that licked at my skin. I pulled my pajamas close, shivering a little.
"Jason," I said, "what are we doing out here?"

He grabbed my hand. "Come on." He pulled me with him as he walked.

"If you're taking me out for some tryst or something, I am so not in the
mood for that kind of thing right now."

"Are you drunk again?" he asked.  

I glared at him. "I wasn't going to have another one of those dreams. You
don't know what they're like."

"I do know what they're like. I've had nightmares before. They're bad. But
you've just got to come to terms with whatever it is you're trying to run
from."

"What?" I said.

"I think what we've got to do tonight will help you with that," he
said.

"What are we doing tonight?" I asked. "Where are we going?"

"The assembly hall," he said.  

The old church. "You are trying to get me to have
sex with you again, aren't you?"

Jason stopped and pulled me close. He kissed my forehead. "Azazel, I'm an
eighteen-year-old guy.